Day 2664

Day 2664
Sunday March 8th 2026
Winchester

I was torn between staying in and watching Man About The House on the 70’s repeat channel, and coming in to entertain the natives. A difficult decision but the guitar won. The bike’s still at BikeX so I’m on foot until I get it back, which is fine as the 12-string is quite light on my back, especially downhill, and it’s all downhill going into town.Gareth is at the top spot – the scaffolding is still around The Buttercross but that’s no problem for him as he sets up on the other side of the street. Meeta is at the crossroads so I set up down at Nando’s, which is fine as I haven’t been there for a bit. I can’t stay too long as we’re off to the VUE cinema in Eastleigh to see the new Elvis film – EPiC – Elvis Presley In Concert, so just over an hour at the most.
As it’s Elvis tonight, I start with Can’t Help Falling in Love then Tales Of The Unexpected, during which Michael and Gabby from across from the house turn up –
‘That’s unexpected,’ says Michael, a funny guy.
‘Yeah.’
‘I was here the other day and you were playing Tears For Fears – sounds great on the 12-string…need that drum beat.’
‘I do my best, Michael…you can beat your head on that, though, if you like.’ I nod to one of the three foot high posts supporting the windbreaker to my right.
Michael laughs – ‘Yeah, BANG, BANG, BANG – I could keep doing it. Sounds great, though.’
‘Cheers.’

The weather was fine – no rain, little wind and a very acceptable temperature of around 10 degrees and for once the coinage was good – a fiver, a tenner and a CD sale, which put the total after an hour and ten minutes to £36.26, so well worth coming in. On the way back, I said hello to Meeta, who I haven’t seen since well before the new year. I told her I couldn’t stop as I had to be home at 5 to go to Eastleigh to see the Elvis film, at which she started playing and singing a bit of Wooden Heart then the one I do – ‘And that’s about where my connection with Elvis ends,’ she says.
‘Well Meeta, that sounds good…and at least YOU’RE alive, unlike him because I was starting to worry as I hadn’t seen you for awhile.’
‘Yeah, still around.’
‘So, how’s it been today? (I then have a peek inside her hat, notice three tenners and a fiver)…ooh, pretty well, I see.’
‘Yeah, not bad.’
I didn’t ask how long she’d been there but she stakes out that spot quite early on so I’m assuming that was the taking of at least five hours. And that was that, uphill all the way back. Actually, I don’t think there’s a lot in it, maybe five minutes longer to walk than on the bike. Still, if you add all that up…